Major League Fishing (MLF) is set to launch the fourth Tackle Warehouse Invitational event of the season from May 10-12, with the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel. The three-day tournament features a roster of 150 anglers competing for a top prize of up to $115,000 and an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 – the Bass Pro Tour championship – for the chance to win up to $300,000.
Hosted by the Eufaula Barbour County Chamber of Commerce, the event also showcases competitors competing for valuable points to win the coveted Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) title – including a $50,000 payout – and to qualify for the 2025 Bass Pro Tour, MLF’s premier circuit.
“We are always excited for our good friends at Major League Fishing to return and fish Lake Eufaula,” said Ann Sparks, Executive Director of Main Street Eufaula and Tourism. “We appreciate their professionalism, willingness to give back to the community and friendship. It means a lot to our community and the local benefits from their tournaments are astronomical. We hope everyone catches a lot of big bass and has a great time!”
Lake Eufaula, often referred to as the “Big Bass Capital of the World” is a familiar venue for MLF, as the fishery has played host to numerous major bass tournaments over the years, including multiple FLW Tour and Tackle Warehouse Invitational tournaments and REDCREST 2021, MLF’s most prestigious event. In this year’s tournament, expect to see a postspawn event, with most of the fish expected to be caught out of brush according to Eufaula, Alabama, competitor Ethan Greene, who will be among the 150 competitors on the water.
“This is going to be a postspawn tournament – most of the fish have just gotten off the bed not too long ago and they’re working their way out to brush,” said Greene, who has six top-10 finishes on Lake Eufaula in MLF competition. “This might make things kind of tough – the fish are moving, and they could be in that postspawn funk.
“But, if I’m wrong on timing and the fish are starting to pull out to the ledges, it’s going to be an absolute slugfest,” Greene continued. “When those fish get out on the ledges for the first time of the year, you can throw a bare hook and catch ‘em. I’m just not sure if we’ve had enough warm weather yet to see them in that stage yet, so I think the tournament is likely going to be won fishing brush.”
Greene said that the reason brush will be so popular is because of the shad spawn. He said the shad spawn in the brush, so he expects reaction baits – jerkbaits and moving baits – to be strong choices for competitors, especially in the mornings.
“I think jerkbaits and jigs are going to be dominant,” Greene said. “Another strong player will be Damiki-rigged baits – something like a 5-inch (Deps) Sakamata Shad soft jerkbait over the brush. Everywhere you go, that’s how tournaments are being won right now. And it works. I also think we’ll see guys throwing big worms and shaky-head rigs.”
Greene offered two weight predictions, depending on where the fish are located.
“If they end up moving out and they’re out on the ledges, we’ll see quite a few 20-pound bags. The top 10 will have 19 to 20 pounds,” Green said. “If they’re still in the transition and in the brush, it’s going to be tougher – 15 pounds is going to be a good limit. That is what is going to set you apart in this event – catching 14 to 16 pounds every day when other guys can’t.”
Anglers will launch at 6:30 a.m. CT each day from Lakepoint Resort State Park, located at 104 Lakepoint Drive in Eufaula. Weigh-ins will also be held at the State Park and will begin at 2:30 p.m. Fans are welcome to attend all launch and weigh-in events and also encouraged to follow the event online throughout the day on the MLFNOW!® live stream and coverage at MajorLeagueFishing.com.
The 2024 Tackle Warehouse Invitationals feature a field of 150 professional anglers competing across six invitational tournaments around the country, for a total purse of $3.9 million and valuable Fishing Clash Angler of the Year (AOY) points to qualify for a coveted spot on the MLF Bass Pro Tour, the sport’s top level.
In Tackle Warehouse Invitational competition, the full field of 150 anglers compete in the two-day opening round on Friday and Saturday in a five-fish, weigh-in format. Only the top 30 pros, based on their two-day cumulative weight, advance to the final round on Championship Sunday, where they will compete for the grand prize of up to $115,000. The winner of the Tackle Warehouse Invitational Stop 4 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel will be determined by the heaviest three-day cumulative weight and will receive an invitation to compete at REDCREST 2025 on Lake Guntersville in Huntsville, Alabama.
The MLFNOW! broadcast team of Chad McKee and Rob Newell will break down the extended action live all three days of competition from 7 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. CT. MLFNOW! will be live streamed on MajorLeagueFishing.com and the MyOutdoorTV (MOTV) app.
Television coverage of the MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals Stop 3 at Lake Eufaula Presented by E3 Sports Apparel will air as a two-hour episode, premiering at 9 a.m. ET, on Saturday, Oct. 26 on CBS Sports Network.
Proud sponsors of the 2024 MLF Tackle Warehouse Invitationals include: 7Brew, Abu Garcia, B&W Trailer Hitches, Berkley, BUBBA, E3 Sports Apparel, Epic Baits, Fishing Clash, General Tire, Lew’s, Mercury, Mossy Oak Fishing, Onyx, Phoenix Boats, Polaris, Power-Pole, REDCON1, Strike King, Suzuki, Tackle Warehouse, T-H Marine, Toyota, WIX Filters and YETI.
For complete details and updated information on Major League Fishing and the Tackle Warehouse Invitationals, visit MajorLeagueFishing.com. For regular Tackle Warehouse Invitational updates, photos, tournament news and more, follow the MLF5 social media outlets at Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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